Clip loader



July 11, 1944,

A. F. GIE SE CLIP LOADER Filedsept. 21, 1943 INVENT0R.-- ARTHUR F/ESEATTOR NE r A Patented July 11, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICECLIP-LOADER Arthur F. Giese, Denver, Colo. Application September 21,1943, Serial No. 503,288 4 Claims. o1. 198 -29) This invention relatestoimprovements in machines for feeding cartridges to clip loaders.

In factories where small arms ammunition is being manufactured, as forexample in places providing such ammunition for war purposes, cartridgesare manufactured and loaded in very large numbers.

Where cartridgesare to be loaded into clips as is now very common andwhere they are to be packed into suitable cartons for shipment todistant points, it is necessary that they be first arranged with thebullets pointing in the same direction and at present this isaccomplished manually' with the result that the services of severalpeople are required for each clip loading machine.

It is the object of this invention to produce a machine of such simpleand substantial construction that it can b operated in connection withclip loading machines or with carton packing machines and by means ofwhich cartridges delivered in haphazard order will be tranferred from ahopper to a belt canveyor and deposited on the latter with the bulletspointing in the same direction so that the machine or the operator withwhich this machine cooperates will receive the cartridges in apredetermined relation.

The above and any other object or objects that may become apparent asthis description proceeds are attained by means of a construction and anarrangement of parts that will now be described in detail and for thispurpose reference will be had to the accompanying drawing in which theinvention has been illustrated in its preferred form, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation looking in the direction of arrow I, inFigure 2; V

Figure 2 is an end view looking in the direction of arrow 2, in Figure1; t

Figure 3 is a transverse section of a portion of the machine looking inthe direction of arrow 3, in Figure 1;

Fi ure 4 is a section somewhat similar to that shown in Figure 3 andshows the relationship of certain of the parts during that period of theoperation in which the position of a cartridge is reversed;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view taken on line 5-5, Figure 1, and showsone embodiment of a switch for use in operating an electromagneticallycontrolled positioning device;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary section taken on a line corresponding to line33, in Figure 1, and shows the position of certain parts immediatelybefore the cartridges are deposited on the con veyor belt;

Figure '7 is a side elevation of the cartridgesv carrying strip, lookingin the direction of arrow 'I in Figure 1; and

Figure 8 is a section taken on line 8-8, Fig-. ure '7.

In the drawing reference numeral I0 designates the. surface of asupporting member to which the machine is secured by suitable means I3that rest on the surface Ill and, in the embodiment illustrated, eachmember is provided with a cross arm I4 extending laterally from bothsides thereof. The ends of the cross arm are provided with bearings forthe reception of shafts I5. The end members have a portion I 6 thatprojects above the cross arms and to which an assembly comprising atable and a conveyor belt are secured by suitable means such as boltsI'I. Secured to the shaft I that is located to the left when viewed asin Figure 2, are two rollers I8, each of which is provided along oneside with gear teeth I 9. Secured to the shaft or pivot pin I5 on theright, when viewed as in Figure 2. ar rollers which may or may not beprovided with gear teeth [9. Supported on the rollers I8 and 29 arerings 2| which are each provided with a narrow gear 22 that cooperateswith the gears I9 and rollers I8. The two end rings 22 are connected bymeans of steel bars 23 constructed in-the manner shown in Figures 7 and8. In the embodiment illustrated, four bars 23 have been shown, but anyother suitable number of bars may be employed, the minimum being three.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 7 and 8, it will be seen thatthe bars 23 are provided with notches 24 whose inner edges are taperedso as to engage in the grooves 25 of the cartridges 25. The separatingportions between the notches are preferably upwardly tapered asindicated at 2? in Figure '7. The bars 23 are rigidly secured at-theirends to the rings 2I by bolts or screws passing through the openings 28.When the bars are in place they form with the end rings 2| a unitarydrum-like assembly that rests on and is supported by the rollers IS and20. A roller 29 is pivoted to the vertical portion 30 of each support l2and is positioned to engage the inner. surface of the corresponding ring2|. Roller 29 prevents the drum comprising th rings,

made.

tion, it serves to hold the end members l2 in a properly spacedrelation. If necessary the end members may be further connected by meansof a rod or bar 34, as shown in Figure 1.

Projecting outwardly from the ends of table 3| are extensions 35 whichform supports for stub shafts 3B and 35'. On stub shaft 36', positionedto the right when viewed as in Figure 1, a roller 31' is mounted forfree rotation and secured to the shaft 35 at the left end when viewed-asin Figure 1', is a roller Ci's'a that is nonrotatably connectedtherewith. This shaft also carries a small pulley 38 for cooperativaction with belt 39 that cooperates with pulley t secured to thecorresponding end of shaft i5. Surrounding shaft I5 and rotatablyconnected therewith, is a hollow shaft ii. to which reference willhereinafter be Secured to the end of shaft #5, positioned at the rightof Figure 1 is a pulley &2, to which power is transmitted from the motor33 by means of a belt 14.

It will now be evident that when motor 43 operates so as to rotate shaftIS in a clockwise direction when viewed as in Figure 2, the drumcomprising the rings 25 will rotate in a counterclockwise direction andat the same time pulley 3hr will turn in a counterclockwise direction.

Enclosing the two rollers 3'? and 31a is a conveyor belt 55 whose uppersurface is provided with transverse grooves 35 for the reception ofcartridges 26.

Attention has already been called tothe fact that the inclined shelf 32is provided with spaced grooves 33 and these grooves are so spaced thatthey wiil be in alignment with the notches 24 in bars 23 when the lattermoves across the end of member If we now visualize a condition in whicha cartridge 25 is supported on the shelf 32 in the manner shown inFigure 3', and that the drum rotates so as to move the bar 23 upwardly.the cartridge will automatically insert itself into one of the notches24 and be carried upwardly to the position indicated in Figure 4. Anarcuate plate ll serves as the outer wall and limits the outwardmovement of the cartridges. As the drum rotates the cartridges will becarried upwardly and towards the left when viewed as in Figure 2 andwill finally arrive to the position shown Figure 6. The cartridges willbe prevented from dropping from the bars 23 by the clamping action ofthe cartridges against the edges of the openings. W hen the cartridgesreach the position shown in Figure 6, the tips of the bullets willengage the upper surface of the belt 45 and upon a still further rotarymovement of the drum the clamping action between the cartridges and thebar 23 will be released thereupon permitting the cartridge to drop bythe action of gravity onto the upper surface of belt 35 and into onsetthe transverse grooves A supporting boarder plate 48 is positionedunderneath the belt .5 and sup-ported from member 3| by means ofbrackets 49 or some other suitable means. The plate 48 prevents theupper side of the belt from bending downwardly due to the action ofgravity.

Referring now to Figure 6, it will be apparent that when the cartridgesare released and drop onto the belt 45, their tendency is to projecttowards the left such a distance that they would be engaged by the bar23 in its downward movement and it is therefore necessary to provide amechanism for moving the cartridges towards the right or inwardly on thebelt a sufdcient distance to move them out of the path of bar 23. Forthe purpose of moving the cartridges inwardly a mechanism has beenprovided which comprises the tubular shaft ll to which at least two arms5d are attached. Secured to the upper ends of arms 59 is a bar 5! thatis so positioned that when the arms 56 are moved in a clockwisedirection from the position shown in Figure 2, they will engage the endsof the cartridges and move them inwardly on the belt. Motion istransmitted to arms 59 by means comprising an electro-magnet 52, anarmature bit-and a connecing rod 5:3. The armature is normally in itslowermost position and moves upwardly when attracted by the action ofthe electro-magnet. Connected in series with the winding of theelectro-magnet is a battery or other source of direct current 55 and theflow of current through the magnet is controlled by means of a switch,one. form of which has been illustrated in Figure 5. The switch consistsof a block of insulating material 56 secured to one of the end supports-A resilient contact member 5'5 is secured to one. side of the block anda similar contact member 53 to the other side. Contact member 58 iscurved towards the outer surface of ring 2t and normally rests thereon.Ring 2! is provided with.

a number of notches 59 into which the end of the. spring contact 58drops when the notch arrives at a position opposite the end of thecontact. The notch 59 is of such a depth that when spring 53 dropsthereinto it permits contact 58 to make electrical connection between itand contact El, thereby closing the circuit to the electromagnetwhereupon the bar 5i will move inwardly and push the cartridges towardsthe right. Since the notches 59 have a steep following surface, thecontact is broken immediately after it has been completed and thispermits the bar 5! to move towards the left so as to permit the drum torotate freely. There is one notch 58 for each bar 23 and the notches areso positioned that electromagnet is energized immediately after thecartridges drop onto the conveyor belt.

Instead of the electro-magnet mechanism illustrated and described, itmay be possible to substitute a mechanically equivalent mechanism andapplicant does not want to be restricted to this particular mechanism toany greater extent than made necessary by the prior art.

Let us now assume that a mechanism constructed in the manner describedis available and that cartridges are deposited on the inclined surface32. When the drum rotates, the cartridges that are positioned with thebullets extending upwardly will be engaged by the edges of notches 24and carried upwardly and finally deposited on the belt as shown inFigure 6. Such cartridges as are located with the bullets extendingdownwardly will be caught in the corresponding notches and turned asshown in Figure 4 until the bullets will be positioned in an upwardlydirection, thereby leaving the cartridge in proper position tobe'carried over the next bar.

It is apparent from the disclosure that a number of cartridges can becarried by each bar 23 and that all of these will be depositedsimultaneously on the upper surface of the belt. It is apparent that inorder to provide proper spaces on the belt for the reception of thecartridges from the bars 23, the belt must move a distance equal to thelength of th bar during the time that the drum rotates the angulardistance between adjacent bars. The proper gear ratio to effect thisrelationship can easily be calculated, but in the drawing the motiontransmission mechanism has been shown in a more or less diagrammaticmanner and no attempt has been made to so proportion the pulleys as toobtain the necessary gear ratio.

It is apparent that a machine constructed in the manner above describedwill be very useful in small arms factories, as by means of such amachine the cartridges will be delivered in proper position to beinserted into clips or cartons and where ammunition is manufactured inlarge quantities, such machines will each replace one or more operators.

Attention is called to the fact that the drawing has not been made toscale and that the cartridges are shown much larger in proportion to themachine than they are in actual construction and it is therefore to beunderstood that this invention is not to be limited to the relativesizes of the parts as shown in the drawing.

The drum comprising the end members and the bars 23 form a somewhatcylindrical element and will be referred to in the claims by thatdesignation.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. A cartridge positioning device and feeder comprising a frame havingend members, an endless conveyor supported on the end members, a shaftextending between the end members and journalled in the latter, meansfor rotating the shaft, means for eifecting a movement of the conveyorat a speed proportionate to the speed of shaft rotation, comprising amotion transmitting mechanism, a cylindrical element enclosing theconveyor and supported in part by the shaft, a second supporting meansfor the cylindrical element, positioned on the opposite side of theconveyor from the shaft, means for transmitting rotary motion from theshaft to the cylindrical element comprising a gear device, a pluralityof notched bars secured to the cylindrical element on the inner surfacethereof, a cartridge supporting table between the conveyor and thecylindrical element and inclined towards the latter for feedingcartridges towards the inside of the cylindrical element and intoengagement with the notched bars whereby they will become positioned inthe notches and transported to a position above the conveyor, and meansfor releasing the cartridges in position to be received by the conveyor.

2. A cartridge positioning device and feeder comprising a frame havingend members, an endless conveyor supported on the end members, a shaftextending between the end members and journalled in the latter, meansfor rotating the shaft, means for effecting a movement of the conveyorat a speed proportionate to the speed of shaft rotation, comprising amotion transmitting mechanism, a cylindrical element enclosing theconveyor and supported in part by the shaft, a second supporting meansfor the cylindrical element, positioned on the opposite side of theconveyor from the shaft, means for transmitting rotary motion from theshaft to the cylindrical element comprising a gear device, a pluralityof notched bars secured to the cylindrical element on the inner surfacethereof, a cartridge supporting table between the conveyor and thecylindrical element and inclined towards the latter for feedingcartridges towards the inside of the cylindrical element and intoengagement with the notched bars whereby they will become positioned inthe notches and transported to a position above the conveyor, means forreleasing the cartridges in position to be received by the con veyor andmeans for moving the cartridges inwardly towards the center of thecylinder immediately after they have been deposited on the conveyor.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which the conveyor comprisesan endless belt whose outer surface is transversely grooved.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which the inclined table isprovided with parallel grooves.

ARTHUR F. GIESE.

